Kingfisher Airlines is IPL umpire partner
Kingfisher Airlines in the official umpire partner of the DLF IPL, and will sponsor all third umpire decisions in 59 matches of IPL.
As part of the Rs 106-crore deal, Kingfisher Airlines will get to display its brands on Umpires’ uniforms in all the IPL matches.
Lalit Modi, Chairman and Commissioner, DLF IPL said, “I am very pleased to have the country’s premier five star airline Kingfisher join us as the Umpire Partner in an exclusive five-year deal. Kingfisher Airlines has a long association with a variety of sports at both the domestic and international level including Tennis, Formula 1, Polo and now Cricket. Their decision bears testimony to the fact that the DLF IPL is here to stay and is set to carve out a distinct niche for itself in the international cricket calendar.”
The DLF IPL matches will start on April 18, 2008, and will run for 44 days. The first match will be played between the Shahrukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders and the UB Group’s Royal Challengers of Bangalore, at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.
The DLF IPL will have eight franchises: ShahRukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders, Preity Zinta -Ness Wadia-owned Mohali, the Mumbai Indians, GMR’s Delhi Daredevils, UB Group’s The Royal Challengers of Bangalore, Indian Cements – Chennai Super Kings, Deccan Chronicle’s – Hyderabad Chargers and Emerging Media’s Jaipur Royals.
Each franchise will get to play seven matches at home. The final will be held in Mumbai.